Field
Communication systems, such as an evolved packet system, may benefit from methods for addressing infrequent transmissions. In particular, certain communication systems in which machine type communication devices are deployed may benefit from a machine type communication feature for infrequent transmission.
Description of the Related Art
The evolved packet system (EPS), the successor of general packet radio system (GPRS), provides radio interfaces and packet core network functions for broadband wireless data access. EPS core network functions include the mobility management entity (MME), the packet data network gateway (PDN-GW) and the Serving Gateway (S-GW). An example of an evolved packet core architecture is illustrated in FIG. 1 and is described by third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification (TS) 23.401, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A common packet domain core network can be used for both radio access networks (RANs), the global system for mobile communication (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN) and the universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN).
For machine-type-communication (MTC) a functional entity called MTC interworking function (MTC-IWF) and several new interfaces, including S6m, Tsp, Tsms, T5a/b/c and T4, have been introduced to the 3GPP architecture. FIG. 2 illustrates machine-type-communication additions to the 3GPP architecture, as well as the various interfaces identified. The MTC-IWF and the new interfaces in 3GPP Release 11 (Rel 11) can, for example, enable triggering of devices with or without a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) from an internal or external MTC server. The triggering of the devices may be, for example, in order to establish a packet data network (PDN) connection and/or packet data protocol (PDP) context. A 3GPP architecture for machine-type communication is discussed in 3GPP TS 23.682, which incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Certain MTC devices, such as smart meters, may send and/or receive infrequently compared to devices such as mobile phones. Conventionally, transmission of data in such systems is performed using an established bearer. Thus, the bearer remains active until the user equipment or network explicitly initiates deactivation of the established bearer.